Cookies, Doughnookies and Desserts.

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I know it has, yet again, been quite a while since I last posted. I am still baking and still adding new recipes when I can. My latest addition has been the delicious and fragrant Snickerdoodle. It wasn’t until a few month ago that I even knew what a Snickerdoodle was… I always thought it was some American chocolate bar. These cookies though, are amazing! Soft, chewy with scrumptious cinnamon sugar. One of my new favourites for sure!

In other news, I will be jet setting off to a long awaited European Vacation next month!! Starting off in London, I will join my Contiki Tour and make my way to Paris, Bordeaux, San Sebastian and finish off in Barcelona. My plan is to eat, sightsee, eat, explore, eat, shop, drink and eat! I will be taking some cooking lessons in San Sebastian and if the opportunity arises I hope I can get in on some baking action is Beautiful Paris!! Who knows, maybe this trip will be the push I need to finally get me to move to France and become a Pastry Chef, but I digress.

Hello everyone,
Sorry it’s been so long, I have had some major life changes and have been procrastinating updating my blog.

Well Thanksgiving has come and gone, I of course volunteered to do dessert for the big night. I couldn’t decide between apple pie or pumpkin pie. My choice therefore was obvious… A combination of both. I did individual apple pumpkin pies as well as one big one. Served fresh out of the oven with vanilla ice cream and cool whip, these little desserts were an absolute hit. My testers weren’t enthusiastic about my choice because the majority of them have this ridiculous dislike of pies in general. Weird.. I know. Who doesn’t like pie? Crazy people. But this odd preconceived notion was soon changed as everyone took their first bites. Alas, another checkmark/exclamation mark in the number of times my desserts have rendered people speechless, apart from the orgasmic moans of the satisfied (strictly taste related).

I hope to experiment with pumpkin fritter cookies in keeping with the spirit of fall. So you should be hearing about that shortly. I am not sure I will have a chance to do my Halloween cookies this year 😦 I wish I had an event to do it for but it looks like my days of co-hosting a Halloween party are over.
I am still going out for Halloween though and I have actually spent quite a bit of time making my costume, so I think I will post about that later as well.
Anyways, thanks for your patience, I will try to do better.

Mmm.. I love the smell of fresh baked cookies in the morning! I have been very busy in the kitchen this morning, last night I was filling a few Easter orders of Apple Fritter Doughnookies and I decided to set aside some dough to try out a suggestion that Chantel Funk (http://chantelfunkdesigninc.com/) gave me. It is based on a German doughnut that has raspberry jelly and a sugar coating (not powdered sugar). There are many names for this type of doughnut, but I have decided to call it “The Berliner Doughnookie”!!! So everyone please welcome the newest member of my menu, you will not be disappointed.

In addition to trying out a new cookie, I was also inspired by my Oma’s trademark Easter gift that me and my sister would get every year.
A Woven Basket made of (insert shiver of anticipation) CHOCOLATE!!! My most favorite ingredient ever!!!

It being my first time trying this, I went to a place everyone can learn something from… YouTube. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z8DcMlfTMqk
Now apparently my Oma would use a balloon for hers, but I liked the idea of the ice cooling the chocolate down quicker so I tried this instead.
I wasn’t quite prepared to attempt a whole basket, so instead I got me some Easter eggs,

filled them up halfway with water (plugged the little holes) and let them freeze over night. Once frozen I melted the chocolate and went to work.

I realized its a good idea to let the chocolate cool slightly before starting on such a steep surface, as the hot chocolate just slid down the ice egg.
Once cooled a bit though, it worked quite nicely and I was able to make a sort of chocolate 1/2 Faberge Egg ( maybe not quite as elegant as that, but my intentions were good)

Chocolate cooling on Ice eggs

once cooled I pulled the half chocolate eggs off the ice and after cooling my fingers for a bit on an ice egg, I was able to use my remaining chocolate to fuse the 2 halves together. Thus creating a woven Easter egg made of chocolate!

First attempt at woven chocolate eggs

So there you have it, I think this idea is quite universal, if you have shaped ice cube holders you can pretty much do whatever you heart, tastebuds or stomach may desire. White chocolate, dark chocolate, I might even try adding some peanut butter to the melted chocolate next time, as everyone knows the best combination ever invented was chocolate and peanut butter.
Well, I’m off. Unfortunately it is time for what every good baker dreads, the cleaning of the kitchen 😦

Leave me a comment below and don’t forget to follow my blog!
More pictures to be posted soon.
Have a great long weekend, a Happy Easter and Happy Baking!!!

I recently came across a Blog post that layed out all the things that I have learned throughout my years of baking. My hope is that if you don’t already know these tricks, this blog can help you find these out before prefectly good batches of cookies are ruined. You may know by now how much I dislike a good batch of cookies going to waste.

Just wanted to update you on Chantel Funk Design inc Grand opening Gala.

For those of you who made it, thank you for all the kind words and I would like to apologize for any weight you have gained because of me. If it makes you feel any better… I am right there with you lol.

For those of you who couldn’t make it, let me give you a run down of the night.

They photographed the event and were a delight to talk to. What an amazing and inspiring couple, and they had the coolest business cards (Stamped wooden shingles with personalized compliments for each person written on the back) Mine read “an amazing baker and easy-going”.

Chantel also invited Kim Hrubizna from Faces by Kim Hrubinza. She is a fantastic Make up Artist whose portfolio speaks for itself.

Just wanted to let you know about an upcoming event at Chantel Funk Design Inc in Abbotsford. Chantel and her staff are having a Grand Opening Gala Tuesday, February 12, 2013 at 6pm for gift bags, a draw for one of their fabulous gift baskets, special promotional deals, and refreshments.
Come meet her team and join in the celebration!

As a long time customer of Chantel I can honestly say I have never been happier with my hairstylist. Chantel has taken my unruly mane and tamed it to perfection. Not only is she a great hairstylist, artist and entrepreneur, she is also a close friend of mine so I highly encourage you to drop by and see what she and her staff are all about.

Cookies and other treats will be supplied by yours truly, Hope to see you all there!